Condominium association policies are classified as commercial, not residential. That means condo associations are not guaranteed the consumer protections provided to single-family homes—including a moratorium on cancellations in areas near Los Angeles burn areas.
From repairs to remodeling to how you use your patio, condominium ownership means navigating a unique set of rules that are not always obvious or intuitive.
Given the reality of multi-million-dollar deductibles that may exceed actual damages, even HOAs that carry expensive earthquake policies may not have meaningful coverage. Boards can consider dropping the coverage—if their CC&Rs let them.
We live in angry times. Homeowners who berate the board and manager are exhausting. Controlling communication, refusing to engage with abuse, involving legal counsel, and utilizing a ‘peacemaker” can foster a calmer community environment.
Replacing common area lighting with energy-efficient, long-lasting LEDs can save HOAs significant money on electricity and replacement, with a quick payback and improved appearance. LADWP’s Commercial Direct Install program may replace some lighting for free.
To pass electrical inspection, you may be required to install a protective bollard for an EV charger. Here’s how to challenge that expensive and often unnecessary requirement, plus updates on electrical room safety repairs and how to process EV charging applications within an HOA.
California Law 4745 requires HOAs to allow owners to install EV chargers, even in aging buildings with limited electrical capacity. After a bad installation caused a fire in the electrical room, this board took time to set goals and explore all the options without a big upfront HOA investment, including third-party charging stations, Level 1 “trickle charging” and Level 2 chargers with devices to prevent overloading the electrical capacity.
Why is one condo’s monthly dues so much higher than another’s? Taking a hard look at the budget can produce some savings, but differences between buildings and the types of insurance, amenities, utility metering and services lead to inherently different costs.
Condominium HOAs in Los Angeles may be eligible for significant savings on electricity bills by switching from the default residential rate to LADWP’s little-known A1A commercial rate. The option is not documented on LADWP’s website but for certain buildings, it can result in substantial cost reductions. CondoWonk is preparing an update of this article.
This guide provides step-by-step instructions to determine if switching LADWP electricity for a condominium’s common area will save money by comparing their current bills with costs calculated using LADWP’s online tool.